Noah checked the time again. "Teagan and the school bus will be here soon."
Adam pushed off the couch and clapped his hands. "Guess we'll roll."
Zane stood as well. "Teagan's smart and knows everyone."
Those were his mother's exact words when describing Teagan, and she'd also noted that Teagan's son was close to Bella. Besides his mother and Aunt Virginia, it seemed Teagan was the other person who'd helped the most with Bella before he could come home.
Noah slapped his buddy on the back. "Thanks, man."
They walked toward the front of Lainey's house. "For what it's worth, I'd have fed the kid pizza too." Adam kicked one of Noah's bags that remained by the front door. "Think it should look like you plan on staying?"
He ran his hand over his jaw and into his hair. "It feels weird to move into Lainey's bedroom."
"I'd figure it out fast. And if you don't, Bailey'll let you have it."
Noah chewed the inside of his mouth. "I haven't cleaned up the guest room."
Zane shook his head as he opened the front door. "No one says unpack this second, man. Just get it out of the hallway."
A Subaru pulled into the driveway, catching their attention.
"Tell Teagan we say hey. You know she's the school counselor, right?" Zane tacked on as they stepped down the front porch, cutting through the front yard and waving a friendly hello to Teagan.
No, he did not. He'd have to remember to ask his mom and aunt why they'd neglected to mention that the woman dropping by had caretaking credentials. Then again, that was one of the many things Noah had no clue about today. Pizza. Storing bags. Inviting school counselors over.
Noah stepped out, tossing an arm to wave bye then greet the woman he knew only as Teagan, the mother of Bella's friend. The guys pulled away as the Subaru's door opened.
"Teagan?" He strode forward, extending his hand to the confident woman whose brown hair picked up a hint of red in the sun. "Hey there. Noah Coleman."
"Nice to meet you." Her vibrant amber eyes weren't as warm as her smile, though they were beautiful, and her cool handshake firmly gripped his. "Teagan Shaw."
"Nice to meet you." Their hands parted, and he immediately wished he'd known the guidance-counselor aspect of Mrs. Shaw before inviting her over, whether Bella and her son were close or not. He had the immediate sense that he was undergoing an evaluation, which he would fail miserably. Hell, he'd only been stateside for less than forty-eight hours, and most of that time had been spent on travel and untangling his life from the United States Navy SEALs, something he thought he'd never do until he retired. "So."
She smiled crisply.
He tried for something a little less frigid. "You've known Bella for a while?"
"I have. Since she was very young."
Noah didn't know if that was a finished thought because he could've sworn she left off And who are you? Where have you been? Was it an immediate dislike for him, or didn't she trust him? Maybe the better question was, why should she trust him? Hell, why did he want her to?
He glanced away, ignoring that she wasn't hard on the eyes. Not that he would notice at a time like this. Was he even meant to be a parent?
Noah cleared his throat and acted as though she wasn't the first woman he'd seen before. "What's your kid's name?"
"Will."
"Sounds strong."
Her eyes narrowed. "How much do you know about Bella?"
"Right now?" Noah took a deep breath then gave an awkward grin. "Less than I'm going to know tonight."
From the looks of it, Teagan didn't find that as amusing as he did. "She's a good girl."
Well, no kidding. She was Lainey's daughter. Of course, Bella was a good girl. Noah would go out on a limb and say she was an amazing girl. Instead he rolled his lips together, and he and Teagan squared off awkwardly. His jaw was tight. Frustrated that this woman was so quick to judge, Noah tried to focus on his plan and the advice he'd been given, mostly because Teagan was only protecting his niece. "Tell me more."
A delicate, if not careful, smile curled on Teagan's lips. "About Bella?"
"Sure." He paused, surprised how well that had worked. "Or her and Will."
Teagan's dark brown hair lifted on a breeze, highlighting its red hue. "They're best friends. I can barely pull them apart."
"Best friends," Noah repeated.
Teagan finger combed her hair back in place as the wind tried to lift it again. "They believe in magic and wishes. They tell stories and dreams to each other."
"Like a little boyfriend-girlfriend?"
"No, I think they always pretend to be brother and sister."
"Gotcha."
"You've been told Bella's too young for our gifted program?"
"Yes."
"That's my background, and I keep an eye on her and those resources at school. So, if you need to bounce ideas, questions-anything, really-consider me available."
He nodded. "I appreciate that."
"It's also my job to make sure that her home and school life balance."
"Makes sense." Given that she was a guidance counselor, but what was Teagan getting at?
"I was the school's point of contact with your parents."
"I know. My mom is the one who set this up," he said, starting to feel defensive.
Teagan's eyes crinkled as she studied him. "Are you ready for this, Noah? She's been through so much."
"You think I don't know that?"
"And you're new back in town."
Again, the obvious. "What's your point?"
Teagan chewed on her bottom lip. "Your mom mentioned you were pulled out of a war zone recently. Like, last week."
He grit his molars. "Yeah, Mrs. Shaw, a week ago today, I was in Serbia. What about it?"
"Wait, hang on." She stepped closer. "You're hearing me all wrong."
"Maybe your delivery is lacking."
Her face pinched, and it hit him in the gut, though she'd been a bulldog moments ago.
"I can tell it was, and-" She inched back, staring toward the sky before turning back to him. "I don't know you, but Lainey was a good friend, and I love Bella. I'm sorry I came off as abrupt. I just can't stand to see her hurt again, and you're an unknown."
Noah's jaw relaxed. "I'm glad she has you in her corner."
Teagan gave a noncommittal smile.
"And I hope that you don't find me an unknown for long. I'm an open book. Family's my world. Always has been, even if you never heard of me before."
Her smile showed more teeth that time. "Heard of you, yes. Bella thinks you walk on water." The happiness faded. "Lainey did too."
Noah swallowed the unexpected burst of pain in his throat. "If we're being honest, I have a few tricks up my sleeve."
Teagan laughed, and thank God he did too. He didn't want to tear up in front of a woman he barely knew. But she had been on the forefront of a battle that he hadn't been able to wage in person.
Noah tipped his head back and looked at the sky, letting the cool northwest breeze blow over him. He smiled into the sun as it warmed his face for a moment, before he looked back at Teagan. "Thank you. From a Navy SEAL to a … soldier of, I don't know, social work. Thank you."
Her forehead scrunched. "You're welcome?"
He got a kick out of her. He glanced sideways at her smirk, and they cracked up. Letting loose, just knowing that he could hurt and still find amusement in life's everyday silliness, felt great.
"You've had the most honest reaction to my guardianship. Everyone is a cheerleader." Family and friends had promised that it would be all right, explaining that if anyone could persevere through a transition like this, he could.
"They mean well. I meant well."
He scrubbed a hand over his face. "People say that no one knows what they're doing, and that she's so smart, that whatever I screw up, she'll pick up the slack. But this?" He blew out, shaking his head. "This is next level."
A yellow school bus rounded the corner, and Noah's heart thundered in his chest as it had the first time he'd buckled in for a simulated helicopter crash into dark water. He knew he was strapped tight, that impact wouldn't be that bad, but the Navy had programmed their crash to gyrate and twist as rushing water filled the small space. He'd escape, he'd survive, but it might be hell on the way.
Teagan touched his arm, tapping him twice as his high school football coach had done. "If you need a helping hand, I'm handy."
The school bus came to a stop, and that was what he needed-not his friends, parents, or bloggers sharing advice and answering questions. He needed help. Why did it take until this moment for him to realize what he knew instinctively on the job? The most complicated tasks needed teamwork.
The yellow doors at the front of the bus angled open, and his pink-and-glitter niece descended the two stairs in one jump before landing on the sidewalk with a little boy protectively coming up behind her.